Conveyer.



v PATBNTED MAY 23, 1905.

B. H. ALVEY.

GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SEEET 1.

No. 790,811. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905. B. H. ALVEY.

GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

No. 790,811. I PATENTED MAY 23, 1905. B. H. ALVEY.

GONVEYER..

APPLICATION rum) SEPT. a. 1904.

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Jam/W4 Patented. May 23, 1905.

PATENT O FICE.

BENJAMIN H. ALVEY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ALVEY-FERGUSON COMPANY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A COR- PORATION or KENTUCKY.

CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,811, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed September 9, 1904. Serial No. 228,849. L

1'0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I. BENJAMIN H. ALvEY, a

, citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object the provision of certain improvements in elevators adapted to be used in systems of handling packages, whereby packages may be most expeditiously and safely elevated from one floor to another of a warehouse, for example, and stored on the floor intended therefor with a minimum of power and manual labor; and the invention consists in certain peculiarities in the construction of parts and in certain novel combinations of elements substantially as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, and in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an elevator constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, indicating means for conveying packages thereto and therefrom. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the conveyer. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the upper sprocket-wheel, a roller of the bottom or track, and the means of supporting the same; and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of one of the rotating flights or carriers which connect the endless belts with each other.

The frame of the machine, as most clearly shown in Fig. 1, is preferablycomposed of a series of irons or straps having horizontal members 1 and vertical members 2; apair of intermediate angle-irons 3, which extend longitudinally of said frame and have their horizontal members suitably secured to the horizontal members 1 of said straps; a second pair of angle-irons 4 and 4:, which extend longitudinally of the elevator above said irons 3 and have their vertical members secured to said vertical members 2 of the first-mentioned angleirons or straps; aseries of pairs of angle-irons or straps 5, which are arranged at intervals throughout thelength of the elevator and depend from the several angle-irons or straps first-above mentioned and have their horizontal members secured to the horizontal members 1 thereof, as shown at 6, and a lower pair of angle-irons 7 and 7, which extend longitudinally alongthe respective sides of the elevator and are secured to said irons or straps 5. A frame thus constructed is very advantageous-in that it is light, stiff, highly durable, and inexpensive, and readily erected of any size and form suitable to the requirements of the particular situation in which it is to be used.

The vertical members of the angle-irons 3 constitute supports for the axles 10 of a series of independently-rotatable rollers 11, which preferably have recesses 11 between their ends and extend transversely of the frame and form the bottom or track for the packages to run on throughout the major or a considerable part of the length of the conveyer-frame. Said packages are elevated by a means which comprises endless belts 15, driven by suitable pulleys or wheels 16 and 17 and connected with each other at intervals by rotatablymounted flights or carriers 18, which engage the packages to be elevated and are adapted freely to disengage themselves from packages which are not properly engaged therewith.

Thus when, as frequently happens at the re- 18 and travels from beneath said package without elevating the same and leaves it at the foot of the elevator in position to be properly engaged by the next succeeding flight or carrier.

The upper and lower runs of the belts travel on the horizontal members of the upper and lower angle-irons 4:, 4, and 5, which thereby form tracks or guides for the traveling conveying means in addition to lending durability and rigidity to the frame of the device.

Preferably the endless belts 15 are chains and the wheels 16 and 17 sprockets, as shown. The upper sprockets 16 are mounted on shafts 19, which extend through boxes or bearings 20, which are secured to the horizontal members of the angle-irons.

The elevator is arranged at a suitable inclination and is preferably supported by suitable frames 21, located at the top and bottom thereof. Said frames are engaged by the horizontal members of the angle-irons 3 and are preferably made of gas-pipe or suitable tubing and may be adjustable as to length, if desired. In order that this elevator may be best adapted to form part of a conveying system wherein the packages are conveyed to it by a gravity-conveyer, (indicated at 30 in Fig. 2, for example,) which runs around or through the room, and delivered by it to a similar gravity-conveyer 31, which runs around or through the room above, its end portions 40 and 50 extend at an angle with its intermediate part 7 O, gradually merging from the horizontal to the angle of inclination of the said intermediate part, whereby the articles may be delivered to and discharged from the elevator without shock, and the portion of the elevator at the junction of its approximately horizontal bottom and inclined intermediate part is provided with a floor 75, comprising stationary members 7 6 instead of the rollers, which preferably constitute the remainder of the floor of the elevator. Said members 76 are arranged longitudinally of the frame and are crossed below by transverse members 77, which rest upon the horizontal members of the angle-irons 3 and support said floor 75 in place.

In order that the endless belts or chains 15 maybe held in proper position, following the various angles of the frame, the horizontal portions of the angle-irons 4 are inverted with respect to the horizontal portions of the angle-irons 4that is to say, the horizontal portions or flanges of the angle-irons P are uppermost while the vertical members or portions of the angle-irons 4 are uppermost whereby the horizontal members of one pair of said angle-irons holds the belts against rising, while the others hold the same against falling out of their proper plane of operation, and for the same reason the upper and lower portions of each lower angle-iron have their wherein the gravity parts thereof are all 10- cated on one floor, and, further, that it is within the scope of the invention to employ the elevator without either one or both of said gravity-conveyers. v

Having thus described the invention, what I believe to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, and what I therefore claim,

approximately horizontal end portions and its intermediate part arranged at an inclination with its said end portions and gradually merging into the same, rollers constituting a portion of the track or way, a stationary portion arranged at the junction of an end and intermediate portion of the frame, and traveling means for conducting the articles upward along said track or way. Y

2. An elevator comprising a frame having approximately horizontal end portions and its intermediate part arranged at an inclination with its said end portion and gradually merging into the same, rollers constituting a portion of the track or way, a stationary portion arranged at the junction of an end and intermediate portion of the frame, means for conducting the articles upward along said track or way, and conveying means for conducting said articles to and from said elevator.

3. An elevator comprising a frame having approximately horizontal end portions and its intermediate part arranged at an angle with its said end portions and gradually merging into the same, a frame arranged at the junction of an end portion and said intermediate part and forming part of the track or way, rollers arranged to form a part of said track or way, a pair of connected endless belts for conducting the articles along said track or way, andmeans for holding said belts down 1. An elevator comprising a frame having adjacent to the junction of said end and intermediate portions.

4:. An elevator comprising a frame having a series of members extending transversely thereof and provided with upwardly-bent ends, a pair of angle-irons extending longitudinally of the frame at the sides thereof-and secured to said series of members, and a second pair of angle-irons,extending longitudinally of the frame and secured to the bent end portions of the firstmentioned frame members, means supported by the first-mentioned pair of angle-irons and forming the floor of said elevator, and a connected pair of traveling endless belts for conducting the articles along said floor, said belts engaging said second pair of angle-irons.

5. An elevator comprising a frame composed of a series of members extending transversely thereof and having upwardly-bent ends, a pair of angle-irons extending longitudinally of the frame at the sidesthereof and secured to said series of Inembers, a second pair of angleirons,extending longitudinally of the frame and secured to the bent end portions of the first-mentioned frame members, a series of angle-irons each secured at one end to the said lower portion of the respective first-mentioned frame members and depending therefrom, and a third pair of angle irons extending longitudinally of the frame and secured to the last-mentioned angle-irons, means supported by the first-mentioned pair of angle-irons and forming the floor of said elevator, and a connected pair of traveling endless belts for conducting the articles along said floor, said belts engaging said second and third pairs of angle-irons.

6. An elevator comprising a frame having a series of members extending transversely thereof and provided with upwardly bent ends, angle-irons secured to the upwardlybent ends of said transverse members at each side of the device and so arranged that the horizontal portion at one end or place in the length of the frame will be inverted with respect to the horizontal portions of the angleirons at the other end or place in said length, a connected pair of endless belts the upper runs of which are held in proper plane of operation by said horizontal members, a pair of angle-irons extending longitudinally of the frame at the sides thereof, and a floor supported by the same.

7 An elevator comprising a frame composed of a series of members extending transversely thereof and having upwardly-bent ends, a pair of angle-irons extending longitudinally of the frame at the sides thereof and secured to said series of members, a second pair of angle-irons, extending longitudinally of the frame and secured to the bent end portions of the first-mentioned frame members and so arranged that the horizontal portions at one end of the frame will be inverted with respect to the horizontal portions at the other end of said frame, a series of angle-irons each secured at one end to the said lower portion of the respective first-mentioned frame members and depending therefrom, and a third pair of angle-irons extending longitudinally of the frame and secured to the last-mentioned angle irons: means supported by the firstmentioned pair of angle-irons and forming the floor of said elevator, and a connected pair of traveling endless belts for conducting the articles along said floor, said belts being held in the proper plane of operation by the horizontal members of said second and third pairs of angle-irons.

8. An elevator comprising a frame having its sides comprised of angle-irons extending longitudinally thereof one above another, and said angle-irons each formed of sectionslocated end to end in relatively reverse positions, connected endless belts guided by said angle-irons, and a track or Way located be tween the upper and lower runs of said belts, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

9. An elevator comprising a frame having each side composed of a series of angle-irons located one above another and each upper and lower one formed of sections located end to end and arranged in relatively reverse positions, a series of transverse straps supporting the several angle-irons, connected endless belts guided by said upper and lower angle-irons, and a floor supported by the intermediate angle-irons, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

10. An elevator comprising a frame having a track or way provided with rollers, upon which rollers travel the articles being conveyed, and a traveling conveying means having roller-flights which are arranged above the first-mentioned rollers and engage the sides of said articles and push the same along said track or way.

11. An elevator comprising a frame, com posed of side members and a track or way between said side members, said track or way having rollers upon which travel the articles being conveyed, and a traveling conveying means, comprising endless belts guided by said sidemembers and independently-rotatable flights or carriers connecting said belts with each other and traveling above said rollers and engaging the sides of the articles being conveyed.

12. An elevator, comprising a frame having its sides provided with angle-irons extending longitudinally thereof and each formed of sections located end to end in relatively reverse positions, a traveling conveying means comprising endless belts which are guided by said angle-irons, and a track or way located between the upper and lower runs of said belts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN H. ALVEY. 

